Urban fantasy is a subgenre in the continuum of the fantastic which superimposes supernatural elements onto one or more contemporary urban settings. Basically, big bustling cities populated by both humans and fantasy creatures, often dealing with modern problems. Think fallen gods partying in nightclubs of Lagos or London or Los Angeles. Vampires that are into crypto. Lawyers that are secretly sorcerers. Witches driving fast cars while making trades on the stock market. Urban fantasy might be my favorite subgenre because when done well, the juxtaposition can generate fascinating new spins on classic tropes and be used to critique aspects of our modern world—economics, politics, religion, technology, culture and more—by exaggerating or casting them in a new light.
Now, in many African cultures, the supernatural and the physical are often already believed to exist side by side, and it’s not unusual to find supernatural elements popping up in non-genre fiction (hello, Magical Realism, my old friend, I’ve had to mention you again).
